Mastering the PMP Exam: Essential Tips for Success

Last month, I attended my first PMI chapter meeting, where I was seated with two other members next to me, one who had earned her PMP a year ago and another who was still preparing for the exam. As we introduced ourselves, our conversation naturally flowed into our experiences with the PMP exam, study processes, and resources. I took the PMP exam online that morning and was nervously waiting for the results. The next day, I was over the moon to see that I had passed with “Above Target” scores in all three domain areas.

Preparation and Resources

It took me nearly three weeks to study and prepare for the PMP exam. I was already familiar with the PMP processes and agile concepts through my CAPM and CSM certificates and had almost a decade of work experience. Even so, preparing for and sitting through this four-hour exam can be time-consuming, confusing, challenging, and stressful. Therefore, I thought of sharing my experience, a few resources, and tips that might help you strategize your study plan and exam prep.

Resources

There are many resources available to prepare for the PMP exam. To maximize the efficiency of my study, I applied the Pareto principle. After thoroughly researching the options and considering what would best suit my study methods, I selected a few key resources besides the PMBOK and Agile Practice Guide by PMI to maximize my learning and results.

1. PMP Certification Exam Prep Course by Andrew Ramdayal

Once I decided to take the PMP exam, I enrolled in this course to earn the Professional Development Units (PDUs) necessary for the PMP application process. Andrew has structured the course in a very simple and easy-to-understand manner, dividing it into sections based on traditional, agile, and hybrid methods, ethics, mindsets, and tips. Even if you have a certified PMI trainer to earn your PDUs, I recommend checking out Andrew’s YouTube channel, where he posts all his tutorials and tips.

2. Rita Mulcahy’s PMP Exam Prep

This book is very helpful in understanding the PMBOK and the various process groups, including agile methodologies. It provides the necessary guidelines and tips on what PMI expects and what to anticipate on the exam. Additionally, each chapter includes practice questions to test your knowledge and identify weak areas.

3. David McLachlan’s YouTube Channel

This channel offers tutorials, questions, and explanations that are extremely helpful for students at any level in understanding concepts and answering questions. During his question videos, he also teaches how to break down the question into parts, use keywords to identify answers, eliminate options, and strategically align responses with concepts.

4. TIA Exam Simulator by Andrew Ramdayal

This simulator includes six mock exams and video explanations for each question. It helps you understand how to break down questions and select the correct answers.

Study Tips

1. Understand your learning style:

Unless you have a photographic memory or enjoy reading big books and memorizing them, reading the PMBOK and other materials from start to finish can be frustrating and unproductive. Understanding your learning style and how you comprehend fundamentals is crucial in preparing for this exam. I prefer to break down topics and simultaneously use videos and reading materials to grasp the concepts. I then explain these concepts verbally or in writing to reinforce my understanding and identify gaps. I applied this learning style to understand new concepts and remember old ones, using Andrew’s videos, PMI materials, and Rita’s book as references.

2. Do not just memorize the topics:

The PMP exam consists of situational questions where you need to understand a scenario and apply your knowledge to achieve the best possible outcome. You need a deep understanding of the knowledge areas, process groups, and processes. Once you grasp these concepts, you can logically identify the inputs, tools & techniques, and outputs (ITTOs) associated with each process without memorizing them. It's essential to understand them well enough to recognize the current process when faced with a situation or technique, determine what actions to take, and identify the next steps. Additionally, understand the concepts behind each formula as much as the calculations themselves. The questions focus more on interpreting a situation based on the formula results than the calculations alone.

3. Learning the Mindset:

One of the most valuable tips I got from Andrew’s course is understanding how to develop the necessary mindset. Shifting from a plan-driven to a change-driven mindset and adopting the PMI mindset despite years of experience is crucial for tackling each question. Situational questions are designed to identify whether the scenario is plan-driven, change-driven, or hybrid, and you must choose the best answer accordingly. It's important always to prioritize servant leadership, face-to-face communication, minimizing escalations, inclusivity, proactive management, and adherence to standards and regulations.

4. Set a realistic goal and deadline:

It’s important to understand your schedule and how much effort and energy you can invest, and based on that, set a realistic deadline for yourself. Many people apply for the exam and wait until they feel fully prepared before scheduling it. However, time tends to expand without a clear deadline, leading to procrastination and delaying the exam, often until the next curriculum change. Once you schedule the exam, you'll be motivated to ensure you are prepared by the exam date.

When I was applying, I had some free time to prepare, so once my application was approved, I scheduled my exam for one week later, knowing I had a whole week to dedicate to longer study sessions. Familiarity with the concepts and the right mindset helped me fast-track my revision and focus more on practice. If I had set the date further in the future, I might have lost momentum and motivation to meet the deadline.

5. Practice, Practice, and Practice

The best way to prepare for the exam is through practice. Utilize questions from simulators, YouTube, and other sites to test your knowledge and apply what you’ve learned, even though they might not be as challenging as actual PMP questions. Practicing these questions allows you to reinforce what you’ve learned, which is extremely helpful for remembering concepts. I used questions from Rita’s book, Andrew’s TIA simulator, and David’s YouTube channel. These resources helped me understand the types of scenarios to expect and learn how to break down these questions to find the correct answer.

Exam Tips

1. Exam Day Preparation

I took the exam online because I preferred the comfort of my own environment rather than driving to an unfamiliar location. When taking the exam online, having a completely distraction-free and isolated space is crucial. Proctors monitor and inspect you through a webcam during the exam. Once you log into the system, they will ask you to show your surroundings and inspect all your items. Ensure you don’t keep anything on your desk except the laptop. The proctors will stay with you until you finish the exam, so make sure no one enters your sitting area, maintain quietness, and remain seated unless you are allowed to take a break. Breaking any of these rules will immediately result in being thrown out of the system and having your exam canceled.

2. Maintaining Focus

This is a long, stressful exam, and you must be 100% focused for 4 hours to understand the subtle differences between questions and each answer.

• Make sure you have a good meal before the exam.
• Keep a glass of water to stay hydrated, but don’t drink too much.
• Ensure you have a reliable internet connection and power.
• Take the two 10-minute breaks during the exam. They’ll help you refresh your mind, move around, and use the restroom.
• If you don’t like white mode and can’t stare at the screen for a long time, reduce the brightness of your screen before your eyes get blurry.

3. Answering the Questions

• One strategy I used to identify whether a question belongs to traditional, agile, or hybrid methods is to look for keywords. If the question mentions keywords related to a particular method, I filter the answers corresponding to that method.
• If the question is too long, I first read the answers to get an idea, then the last sentence of the question, and finally, the whole question. This helped me quickly understand the scenario and highlight the keywords.
• I used the elimination method to filter answers. Often, at least two answers can be eliminated due to irrelevance, leaving two very similar answers that are hard to choose between if you don’t have the right mindset.
• Leverage the right mindset, not just experience, to understand the first, next, and best options and select the correct answer.
• If you need more time to think or are unsure, flag the question and move on to the next one. You can review all flagged questions before submitting.

Conclusion

Earning the PMP certification requires knowledge, experience, and practice. It’s one of the most recognizable qualifications for a project manager or anyone who leads projects. I hope this helps you understand how to plan your study time and prepare for your exam. I would love to hear from you if you have any additional tips or resources to share or if you have any questions.

Wishing everyone good luck on your journey to PMP success!

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